Machine for affixing and fastening bails to cans



1941- T. J. GORMAN, JR 2,268,117

MACHINE FOR AFFIXING AND FASTENING BAILS To CANS Filed Feb. 19, 1940 eSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Dec. 30, 1941. T. J. GORMAN, JR

MAGHI NE FOR AFFIXING AND FASTENING BAILS 'I'O CANS Filed Feb. 19, 19406 Sheets-Sheet? INVEITOR.

30,1941- T. J. GORMAN, JR 2,268,117

MACHINE FOR AFFIXING AND FASTENING BAILS TO CAN S Filed Feb. 19, 1940 6Sheets-Sheet 3 All, 0 o i Dec. 30, 1-941. 1 T. J. GORMAN, JR 2,268,117

MACHINE FOR AFFIXING AND. FASTENING BAILS T0 CANS Filed Feb. 19, 1940 6Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Deg. 30, 1941- T. J. GORMAN, JR

MACHINE FOR AFFIXING AND FASTENING BAILS T0 CANS Filed Feb. 19, 1940 6Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 30, 1941. T. J. GORMAN. JR 2,

MACHINE FOR AFFIXING AND FASTENING BAILS T0 CANS Filed Feb. 19, 1940 6Sheets-Sheet 6 disadvantages.

Patented Dec. 30, 1941 MACHINE FOR AFFIXING AND FASTENING BAILS T CANSThomas J. German, Jr., Newark, N. J. Application February 19, 1940,Serial No. 319,585

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the types of machines for aiflxing bails orhandles upon cans and especially to machines of this type which willafllx said bails or handles automatically on cans while the cans aredelivered to the machine by hand. continuous belt or the like. Thisinvention also represents a further improvement on my Patent withdrawalof said ends after they were inserted,

this forming of the bail end by hand not only was a diflicult handoperation but it also required difiicult bail manipulation to insert thebail into the ears, of the can. In addition, due to excessive bailmanipulation, the bail ends were slightly bent or formed out of theiroriginal position so that under heavy load the bail would bend and comeoil? the ears, of the can. The time required for placingthis type ofbails upon cans was too excessive for eflicient can production. Myinvention renders possible to eliminate all the above My automatic bailaffixing machine eliminates expensive hand manipulation for aflixing theballs by hand and it also fastens said bails upon the cans in a manneras to provide a permanent hold upon the ears of the can. 1

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic machine forplacing or afiixing bails upon cans said machine having means forstoring bails and selecting from said stored group of bails one bail ata time and aflixing the same upon a can.

A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic bailforming and hail aflixing machine for the purpose of producing andaflixing said bails on a can or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic bailafiixing machine which will aifix and fasten said bails upon the can.

A further object of this invention is to' provide a speciallyconstructed bail for said automatic bail placing or aflixing machine.

arrangement i'or delivering the cans to the bail aflixing machine alsothe arrangement for aflixing said ball to the can and holding the bailends in place preliminary to bending operation.

Fig. 2 is a detailed side view of the machine showing the bail endholding members or bars raised for the purpose of allowing a new can tobe moved into position for aflixing a bail.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 oi. Fig. 6, showing the means usedfor holding the bail ends in place and for bending the same. This is theposition of parts 0! the machine preliminary to bending the bail ends.

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the machine showing the position of partsafter the bail ends have been bent.

Fig. 5 is showing the front view of the machine as seen from the lines5--5 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line. 6-6 of Fig. 1, showing the partsof the machine used for holding the bail ends and. for bending the ball.The position of the parts shown, is preliminary to bending the bailends.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the machine showing the bail basketor housing and the parts of the machine used to operate the bail endholding and bending members which are shown partly in section.

Fig. 8 is illustrating a modification of the ma chine shown in Fig. 1.In this case the bail end bending members or bars are operated in arotative movement instead of vertically as it is the case in the machineshown in Fig. 1. In this figure the bail end bending member is shownpreliminary to bending the bail.

Fig. 9 is a partial view of the machine shown in Fig. 8, showing theposition of the bail end bending member after the bail end has beenbent.

Fig. 10 is a view taken on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 9, showing therelation 01' parts used for bending the bail ends.

' Fig. 11 illustrates a can with closed ears and the bail aflixed to itpreliminary to bending the bail ends. I

Fig, 11a illustrates the bail shown in Fig. 11 after thebail ends havebeen bent by the machine.

Fig. 11b illustrates a perspective view of the bail end of the bailshown in Fig. 11 before. the bail end has been bent and after the bailend bend operation.

Fig. 12 illustrates a can having open ears thereon and a bail aflixed tosaid ears in position and before the bail end bend operation.

a Fig. 12a illustrates the condition of the bail shown in Fig. 12 afterthe an end bend operation.

Fig. 12b illustrates a perspective view of the bail shown in Fig. 12before the bail end bend operation and after.

Fig. 13 illustrates a can and a bail ailixed to it, said bail having onebail end bent before being ailixed to said can. The bent bail end isaiilxed to the can manually before said can being placed on the machine,the other bail end is bent automatically by the machine.

Fig. 131: illustrates the condition of the bail end shown in Fig. 13after bending.

Fig. 13b is a perspective view of the bent bail end shown in Fig. 13,and the straight bail end before being bent and after the bendingoperation.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of an open ear as used in connection withthe bail end and can as shown in Figs. 12 to 12b and 13 to 13b.

In reference to Fig. 1, 20 represents the frame of the ball ailixingmachine proper. The operation of this machine is substantially the sameas described in my Patent No. 2,154,071.

56 and a chain 51. The chain drive 56 is rotated o are in contact withthe rollers 68 which are at- A slidably mounted table 2| is slidablymovable in the vslide ways 22 which are located in the frame 20. Thetable 2| is reciprocally moved in the direction indicated by the arrow.A group of bails 23 are housed in a basket 24 which is held above thetable 2|. One bail at a time is delivered to the sliding table 2| fromthe basket 24, and is aflixed to the ears E of the can C.

' (For further description of the operation of the bail aflixing machinesee the specification of my Patent No. 2,154,071.) A n The can C isdelivered to the bail afiixing machine 29 through an endless belt 25.The cans C roll on a mat 26 located on the bed shelf 21 of the bailfastening machine 20a. An upward extension member 28' of the bed 26supports a supporting casting 29 which serves as a support to a slidablymounted bar 30. A bar 3| similar to the bar 3|) is mounted on theopposite side of the supporting casting 29. The bars 3|! and 3| are heldto the casting 29 by the bolts 32. The bolts 32 are fitted into slots 33located on the bars 3|! and 3|.

Another supporting casting 34' is likewise fastened to the downwardextension 35 of the bed 26. A pair of sliding ,bars 36 and 31 similar tothe bars 30 and 3l'are slidably mounted upon the supporting casting 34.The bars 36 and 31 are held to the casting 34 by bolts 38 which arefitted intoslots 39 located on the bars 36 and 31.

A hingeably mounted arm 40 is hingeably mounted at the bearing 4| at theupper portion of the extension 28. An arm 42 similar to the arm M ishingeably attached to a bearing 42a located at the lower extension 35.The arm 49 is attached by a bolt 43 to the slidably movable bar 30.Likewise the arm 42 is attached to the slidably movable bar 36 by a bolt44. A pair of arms 40a and Ma are attached to the sliding bars 3| and 31respectively. The arms 40a also the arm 4|a have extension arms 4% and4"; which are attached by bolts 400 to the operating bars 45 and 46,respectively. The other end of the operating bars 45 and 46 has a slot43. An operating shaft 49 which carries a set of excentric cams 50 and5| passes through the slots 4801 the operating arms 45 and 46. Theexcentric cams 50 and 5| contact rollers 52 and 53. The rollers 52 and53 are rotatably attached to the operating arms 45 and 46 by the bolts54. A

by an electric motor 58. The motor 53 also operates the bail aflixingmachine 20 by an extension shaft 59 which rotates a belt operated pulley60. The pulley 60 operates the mechanism of the bail ailixing machine26. Both machines, the bail affixing machine 20 and the bail fasteningmachine 2lla, are timed in such a manner as to operate in unison. A pairof secondary bars 6| and 62 are slidably mounted to the supportingcasting 34. The bars 6| and 62 are attached to a pair of hingeablymounted arms 63 and 64 which are hinged at the bearing 42a. The oppositeends 6311 and 64a of the arms 63 and 64 are attached to a pair of arms65 which are of a similar construction with the arms 45 and 46. Asecondary pair of excentric cams 66 and 61 tached to the arms 65. Theoperating arms 65 also have slots 69 to allow the passage of theoperating shaft 49. The excentric cams 66 and 61 are attached to theoperating shaft 49.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate a modification of the machine shown inFigs. 1 to 7. The machine shown in Fig. 8, differentiates from the abovedescribed in that it employs a rotating arm for bending the ends of thebails 23 instead of slidable arms 6| and. 62 as shown in Fig. 6. Therotating arm-16 is attached to the operating shaft 49. When theholding'arms 30 and 3| are in position to hold the bail 23 in, place therotating arm 10 will just contact the end 230 of the bail and begins tobend same. As the rotation of the rotating arm 19 continues and comes inthe position shown in Figs. 9 and 10 it automatically moves sideways toclear the end of the bail. At further rotation of the operating shaft 49and the rotating arm 10 respectively, the arm 19 will return to itsoriginal position as shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 illustrates one form of wire bail which can be usedin-connection with the wire aflixing and bending machine 20 and 29a.Fig. 11 illustrates the condition of the bail at the time it has beenaflixed by the machine 20 to the can C. In Fig. it is shown the finalform of the bail 23 after the ends of the bail have been bent by thebending machine 20a. Fig. 11b illustrates a perspective view of the endsof the bail: A before it has been formed and A after the bendingoperation.

Fig. 12 illustrates another form of the wire bail used in connectionwith the machine 20 and 20a. Fig. 12 shows the condition of the bailafter be- "ing afiixed to the ears E of the can C. Fig. 12a

is showing the condition of the ends of the bail after the bendingoperation. Fig. 12b is illustrating a perspective view of the end of thebail B before the bending operation and B after it has been bent. l

Fig. 13 illustrates a further form of wire bail. In this case one end230 of the bail 23 is bent beforehand. The end 230 of the bail 23 istherefore manually aflixed to the ear E of the can C. The straight end2311 of the bail 23 is thereafter inserted into the other ear E of thecan C. Both of these operations are done manually, whereupon the can Cis placed under the endless belt 25 of the bail end bending machine 29afor the purpose of bending the straight end 23d of the bail 23.

Fig. 13a illustrates the condition-of both bail ends of the bail 23after the bending of the bai end 23d by the machine a.

Fig. 13b is a perspective view of the ends of the bail 23. D illustratesthe condition of thebent end 23c of the ball 23, D illustrates thecondition of the straight end 23d of the ball 23 and D illustratesthe'condition of the straight end 23d after. bending.

Operation The machine as shown in Figs. 1 to '1, consists of acombination of a bail aflixing machine 20 and a bail end bending machine20a. The balls 23 which are to be afllxed to the cans are stored in thehousing 24.

is operated by means of the mechanism contained in the bail aflixingmachine 20. The operation ofthe bail aflixing machine 20 has beenlengthily described in my Patent No. 2,154,071. 20

Diflerentiating from the form of bails used in my Patent'No. 2,154,071which bails have a bail end comprising of a hook said hook formedhorizontall'y in respect to the rest of the bail proper, in the presentinvention the hooked ends of the bail are perpendicular to the rest ofthe bail (see 25 Fig. 1-1bA). Although the construction of the new bailis different from the old onethe same bail afllxing machine can be usedin this new invention as in my Patent No. 2,154,071.

While the bail 23 has been aflixed to the ears E of the can C (see Fig.2) the bail end holding bars 30 and 36 have been automatically movedinto position shown in Fig. 1 from their former position shown in Fig.2. This operation is accomplished by the rotation of the cams 5 3 and IIwhich are fastened and rotated by the shaft 43. The earns 50 and ii arein contact with the rollers i2 and 53 so that as the cams rotate theoperating arms 45-48 aremoved against the pres- 40 sure of the epringsfla -46a. The operating arms and 46 rock the hinging arms 40 and 42which in turn slide the bail end holding bars and 36 against the bailend of the bail 23.

While this operation has been taking placev a 45 secondary pair ofsliding bars GI and 62 which are located side by side with the bailend-holding bars 36 and 31 has been moved into position shown in Fig. 3.In this position the ends of the secondary arms 8| and 62 just touch thehooked 5 bail end 23b. The further upward movement of the secondary orbending bars 3| and 32 turns the hooked or U-shaped bail end 2322 to ahorizontal position in respect to the rest of the bail 23.

As the bail 23 has been formed beforehand ear E. This new position ofthe bail end 236 will permanently prevent it from coming oi! the u ear Ed the can 0.

After the bail end 230 has been bent the bail holding bars 33, 3i, 3'and 31 are automatically retracted. Likewise the bail bending bars orsecondary bars 8i and 32. The can 0. is moved off the bed 21 of themachine by the endless belt These bails are automatical- J5 ly deliveredto the reciprocating table 2| which 25 and the machine is now ready toreceive a new can and to aflix another bail to the ears'of said new can.

Now, having described my invention what I claimis:

1. In a machine for affixing bails and for permanently securing saidbails upon cans or the like containers, said machine including a machinefor ailixing said bails upon said cans, and a machine for securing saidbails upon said cans, said machine for aflixing said bails upon saidcans having means therein for storing a plurality of said bails, andmeans for releasing and delivering one of said balls at a time to areciprocally operated arm means for aflixing said bail upon said can;said means for permanently securing said bail upon,said can includingslidable arm means for holding said'bail in position after said bail hasbeen aihxed upon said can, and slidable arm means for twisting the bail,the twisting operation of said arm means upon said bail end permanentlysecuring said ball upon said can as set forth. i

2. In a machine of the class described including in combination amachine for aflixing bails or handles upon cans and a machine forsecuring said bafls permanently to said cans, said bail affixing machinehaving means therein for storing a plurality of said bails, and meansfor releasing and delivering one of said bails at a time to areciprocally operated memberfor amxing said bail upon said can; saidmachine for securing said ball to said can having slidable means forholding the end of said bail in place and slidable means for twistingthe ends of said bail, said twisting operation permanently securing saidbail upon said can, and said ball amxing machine operating in timedrelation with said ball securing machine aforesaid.

3. In a machine of theclass described for afflxing and securing balls tothe cans or the like containers. said machine. including in combinationa machine for amxing said balls to the ears of said cans and a machinefor permanently securing said bails to the ears of said cans, said bailaffixing machine having means therein for delivering a bail at a time toa reciprocally operated member for aiiixing said bail upon said can;said ball including a pair of U-shaped bail ends having a rectangularpositioned bent extension, said bent extension being inserted by saidaiflxing machine into the openings'of the can ear of said can; saidmachine for permanently securing said bail to the ears of said canincluding means for holding the endsof said bail in place, and slidablemeans for twisting the U-shaped portion oi said bail end, said twistingof the U-shaped portion of said bail permanently securing said bail andto said can aforesaid. I

4. In a machine for amsing prefabricated bails to cans in combinationwith a machine for permanently securing said balls; to said cans, saidamxing machine including slidably operated means for afllxing the endsof said bails to the ears of said cans, said securing means havingtwistably operated means for permanently securing the ends of said ballsto the ears of said cans,

said Mixing and said securing machine being operated simultaneous and intimed relation with THOMAS J. GORMAN, Ja.

each other. v

